Systems for dispensing a plurality of different fluids into a container have been known and used for many years. For example, systems for dispensing paint base materials and colorants into a paint container are known. These paint systems may use twenty or more different colorants to formulate a paint mixture. Each colorant is contained in a separate canister or package and may include its own dispensing pump. The colorants and the respective pumps may be disposed on a turntable or along one or more horizontal rows. In a turntable system, the turntable is rotated so that the colorant of to be dispensed is moved to a position above the container being filled. In designs using one or more horizontal rows, the container may be moved laterally to the appropriate colorant/pump.
Systems for dispensing large varieties of different fluids are not limited to paints, but also include systems for dispensing pharmaceutical products, hair dye formulas, cosmetics or all kinds, nail polish, etc. Smaller systems for use in preparing products at a point of sale may use a stationary manifold through which a plurality of nozzles extend. Each fluid to be dispensed is then pumped through its individual nozzle. Depending upon the size of the container and the quantity of the fluids to be dispensed, manifolds can be designed in a space efficient manner so that a single manifold can accommodate twenty or more different nozzles. The nozzles are connected to the various ingredients by flexible hoses and the ingredients are contained in stationary canisters or flexible packages that are typically contained and supported within a box structure.
Currently available automated fluid dispensing systems may include a controller linked to each of the pumps that are connected to the ingredient canisters or packages. Various formulations may be stored in the memory of the controller and, upon recall, the system can dispense a selected formulation.
Referring generally to the paint and stain retail industry, a problem exists in that consumers are often unable to adequately determine how an actual paint color (i.e., a selected paint formulation) or a stain color (i.e., a selected stain formulation) will look on the applied surface based upon the consumer's impression of the color from a color wheel or color “swatch.” Simply put, the consumer is often surprised how the selected paint formulation actually looks on the wall or other surface. The same is true with respect to stains. Often, the consumer is surprised as to how the actual selected stain formulation looks once it has been applied to a wood surface or other substrate.
To solve this problem, paint retailers are required to sell paint and stain in relatively small sizes, such as a quart or a pint. However, a quart, a pint or even a cup of paint or stain generally far exceeds the actual amount a consumer needs to test a color on a wall or other surface. Currently, paint retailers have no convenient means for providing paint formulations in small bottles or containers such as one or two fluid ounces.
Another problem associated with dispensing systems that make use of nozzles lies in the dispensing of relatively viscous liquids such as tints, colorants and base materials for paints that have relatively high viscosities. Specifically, the viscous fluids have a tendency to dry and cake onto the end of the nozzles, thereby requiring frequent cleaning in order for the nozzles to operate effectively. If the nozzles are not cleaned regularly, they may clog thereby causing a build-up of pressure in the line which may be eventually overcome by the pump resulting in a violent splattering of fluid during a dispense. While some mechanical wiping or scrapping devices are available, these devices are not practical for multiple nozzle manifold systems because of cross contamination of ingredients that are dispensed from the separate nozzles and further the scraper or wiper element must be manually cleaned anyway.
Another problem associated with the dispensing of paints and stains is unwanted dripping from the nozzles after a dispense operation is completed. A drip “hanging” from a nozzle may mean that the previous formulation was not accurately dispensed. Further, dripping of tints or colorants on the dispenser between dispensing operations results in an unsightly appearance that must be cleaned, particularly when the dispenser is used in a retail environment. Also, a drip hanging from a nozzle may find its way into a subsequently dispensed formulation, thereby compromising the accuracy of the subsequently dispensed formulation.
One solution would be to find a way to provide an enclosing seal around the nozzle or manifold after the dispensing operation is complete. In this manner, the viscous materials being dispensed through the nozzles would have less exposure to air thereby requiring a lower frequency of cleaning operations. To date, applicants are not aware of any attempts to provide any sort of nozzle or manifold closure or sealing element for a paint or stain dispenser that would protect against unwanted drips, that would reduce the frequency in which the nozzle or manifolds must be cleaned and that would also accommodate small, sample-sized containers.